Pat Robertson was honored as one of the “Worst Person of the World” segment on MSNBC. What did Robertson do to deserve such a commendable title?

Media Matters for America documented Robertson saying, again and again,

“Islam is not a religion, it’s a political system meant on—bent on world domination, not a religion. It masquerades as a religion, but the religion covers a worldwide attempt to exercise power and to subjugate the world into their way of thinking.”

Wait – can’t this be said about all religions to some extent? Some of my closest friends are Jewish, and being (and clearly looking) Muslim, their friends have often asked me about my views on the whole Israeli-Palestine issue. Well, in that case, religion is just a masquerade in an attempt to exercise power. The issue is over land, not over Muslims and Jews themselves. In fact, people of all the Abraham religions have lived in Jerusalem as neighbors quite peacefully. It is for political reasons that the region is in such turmoil.

Ironically, I have heard of some devout, practicing Muslims defining Islam not as a religion, but rather as a way of life. Its kind of like saying Daoism is not a religion, but more like guidelines as to how to lead a better life. But again, that can be applied to most religions. A lot of people follow a faith in hopes of becoming better people, getting involved in a community that is filled with genuine, good-hearted people, and as something to hold on to in life when things look glum.

Pat Robertson, you may have been on to something. You should have just never finished the sentence. – Maahum Chaudhry